After
Horse Drug Fraudster Lisa Gianelli Guilty
at Trial Now Skelton Wants Time Served
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon Thread
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
May 14 -- In what was called a
racehorse doping take-down,
the US Attorney for the
Southern District of New York
on the morning of March 9,
2020 announced more than a
dozen arrests.
Inner City Press
went to cover the presentments
in the SDNY Magistrates Courts
and personally witnessed 11 of
them, all given bail packages
and released.
On July 26, 2023
Jason Servis got four years.
Inner City Press was there, thread
In December,
co-defendant Henry Agueta got
time served: "Minute Entry for
proceedings held before Judge
Mary Kay Vyskocil:Sentencing
held on 12/18/2023 for Henry
Argueta (16) Count
1s,2s,3s. Spanish
interpreter present. Defendant
was sentenced to time served
and 2 years supervised
release."
On February 14,
2024, Judge Vyskocil docketed
this about withheld exhibits:
"ORDER as to Seth Fishman: The
Clerk's Office received an
inquiry from a member of the
public who seeks access to
exhibits the defense submitted
to the Court, but did not file
on ECF, in advance of the
forfeiture hearing in this
case. As the parties are
aware, there is a presumptive
right of public access to
court documents. See United
States v. Amodeo, 71 F.3d
1044, 104951 (2d Cir. 1995).
Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY
ORDERED that, by February 21,
2024, the parties shall file a
joint letter informing the
Court of their positions on
the release of the exhibits to
members of the public.
(Signed by Judge Mary Kay
Vyskocil on 2/14/2024)."
On May 9, 2024,
co-defendant Marino got time
served: "Minute Entry for
proceedings held before Judge
Mary Kay Vyskocil:Sentencing
held on 5/9/2024 for
Christopher Marino (19) Count
1s. Karloff Commissiong
appeared for the defendant.
AUSA Sarah Mortazavi appeared
for the government. Defendant
was sentenced to time served
and 2 years supervised
release."
On May 14, 2024,
co-defendant Gregory Skelton
asked for a "non-jail
sentence," with two pages
entirely redacted.
Back
on July 11,
2022, "SETH
FISHMAN, DVM,
received a
sentence of 11
years in
prison for his
role at the
helm of an
approximately
twenty-year
scheme to
manufacture,
market, and
sell to
racehorse
trainers and
others in the
racehorse
industry
“untestable”
performance
enhancing
drugs for use
in
professional
horseracing."
Further
back on April 8, 2022 a trial
was set for the Seth Fishman
co-defendant who got a
mistrial when her lawyer came
down with COVID: "in the light
of new COVID protocols for the
courthouse, the trial of Lisa
Giannelli is going forward on
April 27, 2022 in Courtroom
18C of 500 Pearl Street, New
York."
Inner City
Press observed jury selection,
and on April 18 Giannelli's
lawyer cross examined the FBI
agent who took the vials of
drugs from her house in
Delaware. He manipulated the
vials in a plastic bag for the
projector. Judge Vyskocil
said, Don't break them. Later
the FBI Agent read from the
caution: only to be used with
a licensed vet.
Giannelli was
convicted. On March 6, 2023 as
a forfeiture proceeding which
Seth Fishman attended by
phone, his lawyer told Judge
Vyskocil that Giannelli had
been told by the officers
raiding her house she had to
show them how to use a
computer program or face more
charged. She did - but later
found a back-up behind a desk.
She provided it to Fishman's
lawyer.
Judge
Vyskocil asked if the AUSA has
been provided all the
reciprocal discovery to which
the Government is entitled.
After the
proceeding - Judge Vyskocil
will rule in the future - the
AUSA put in a chart including
"Domestic Avimark sales
records (that do not include
Navarro) - $11,489,667.50."
The AUSA calculates, for
Counts One and Two, a total of
just under $16 million...
Inner City Press will stay on
the case(s).
On December 12,
2022, co-defendant Erica
Garcia got 10 months in
prison: "FILED JUDGMENT IN A
CRIMINAL CASE as to Erica
Garcia (2), Count(s) 1, 1s are
dismissed on the motion of the
US; Pleaded guilty to Count(s)
1ss, 2ss, Imprisonment for a
total term of 10 Months per
count to run concurrently.
Supervised release for a term
of 1 Year. The court makes the
following recommendations to
the Bureau of Prisons: The
Court recommends the defendant
be housed in the Fort
Lauderdale area to facilitate
family visits. The defendant
shall surrender for service of
sentence at the institution
designated by the Bureau of
Prisons before 2pm on
3/20/2023. Special Assessment
of $50. Fine of $2,000 (Signed
by Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil on
12/12/22)."
On November 21,
2022, co-defendant Michael
Tannuzzo was up for
sentencing. Inner City Press
was there, thread.
On December 9,
Jason Servis pled guilty, with
maximum of 48 months: "JASON
SERVIS pled guilty today for
his role in the distribution
of adulterated and misbranded
drugs intended for
administration on racehorses
he trained, in connection with
the charges filed in United
States v. Navarro et al., 20
Cr. 160 (MKV). SERVIS
pled guilty before U.S.
District Judge Mary Kay
Vyskocil. SERVIS will be
sentenced by Judge Vyskocil on
May 18, 2023."
OK- now at co
defendant Michael Tannuzzo's
horse drugging sentencing.
Judge disagrees it was
non-violent. Two sisters in
gallery hug and sob.
Defense lawyer
says, Horse racing is a dirty
business.
Judge: I don't
accept that.
Lawyer: I meant,
Morally.
Judge: But we're
here about the law.
Criminality.
Defendant Michael
Tannuzzo: I love the horses.
They saved my life. I made a
mistake, following. I'm sorry.
[In gallery: his 2 sisters,
his 2 best friends. Nephew too
upset to come, he says.]
Judge: Guideline
is 30 to 36 months. Mr.
Tannuzzo, you picked up a
package for Jorge Navarro. You
put at risk horses and
jockeys. I sentence you to 27
months in prison.
Back on April 29
with a non-prosecution
agreement, there was the
testimony of Courtney Adams,
and her communications with
Seth Fishman, including about
a non-dislosure agreement. She
left the business - why? I was
done with it, and working at
Nanny's Donut Shop.
On May 2, an FDA
witness pushed back on cross
examination on the idea that
it is up to the states to
decide what non-approved drugs
may be given, citing 12 CFR
530. The trial continues.
On May 3,
Adrienne Hall was on the stand
describing herself injecting
her horses, and getting a gift
bag of bleeder paste from Seth
Fishman in a parking lot.
On May 4, another
former staffer of Seth
Fishman, in charge of
tightening up his bill
collection, testified to
injecting drugs into horses,
cited one named Shady McCoy
and other, in sounded like,
Captain Serious, while
defining gelding for the
jurors: a castrated male.
On May 5 the
Assistant US Attorney's
closing argument reviewed the
testimony of Courtney Adams
and trainer Adrienne Hall,
while portraying the defendant
making cold calls to trainers
pushing drugs.
On May 6, guilty
verdict on Giannelli on one
count of drug adulteration and
misbranding, with intent to
defraud and mislead, in
connection with a nearly
twenty-year scheme to create
and distribute “untestable”
performance enhancing drugs
for use in professional
horseracing. She faces
up to five years in prison for
her conviction. Her sentencing
was set for September 8 at 11
am.
And it happened
at that day and time, and she
got 42 months: "LISA
GIANNELLI, received a sentence
of 42 months in prison today
for her role in an
approximately 20-year scheme
to sell and distribute to
racehorse trainers and others
in the racehorse industry
“untestable” performance
enhancing drugs (“PEDs”) for
use in professional
horseracing."
Back on July 7, a
guilty plea: "Minute Entry for
proceedings held before Judge
Mary Kay Vyskocil: Change of
Plea Hearing as to Michael
Tannuzzo held on 7/7/2022.
Defendant waived indictment
and plead guilty to a one
count superseding information.
Sentencing set for November
21st at 2pm." Watch this site.
Back on December
6, 2021 the US Attorney's
Office told Judge Mary Kay
Vyskocil that Seth Fishman is
still violation the law with
'bleeder" paste and energy
drinks. A hearing has been set
for December 20.
On August 2,
Federal Defenders filed for
defendant Alexander Chan a
motion to suppress Title III
wiretaps, writing that "When
the FBI filed wiretap
affidavits to intercept calls
from Jason Servis and Kristian
Rhein, they knowingly and
intentionally misrepresented
to the court that SGF-1000 and
Clenbuterol were PEDs. They
did so despite knowledge that
SGF-1000 had been tested by a
world reknown laboratory, the
Hong Kong Jockey Club Lab and
had been found not to be a
PED." Watch this site.
On July 30, it
emerged the lead defendant was
set to plead guilty, see
below.
On October 20,
Christopher Oakes pleaded
guilty. Inner City Press
covered it. Judge Vyskocil
asked if he trained and
drugged thoroughbred or
standard horses (standards),
and if it was at Yonkers (it
was). The AUSA described a
covert search of the barn
associated with the defendant.
Judge Vyskocil accepted the
plea and set sentencing for
February 17 at 10 am.
On September 29:
"ORDER as to Jordan Fishman.
Change of Plea Hearing for
Jordan Fishman is scheduled
for 10/6/2021 at 4:30pm before
Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil."
And Inner City
Press covered and live tweeted
it here
This
originally-19 defendant case
is US v. Navarro et al.,
20-cr-160 (Viskocil).
But what of
Amr Abdelaziz of Phoenix
Thoroughbreds, who used horses
to launder money from OneCoin
about which the SDNY
prosecutors were so concerned
until, like with the UN, they
weren't? Watch this site.
***
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